Pasco student arrested after AR-15, ammo found in truck at school

The weapon was found while a teacher was doing a walk-through in the parking lot.

Author:
10News Staff

Published:
11:08 AM EST February 23, 2018

Updated:
5:58 PM EST February 23, 2018

DADE CITY, Fla. -- A student was arrested in Pasco County after they found an AR-15 in a vehicle Friday.

It happened at Pasco High School. A teacher was doing a walk-through in the parking lot and saw shell casings near the truck. They then saw a gun case in the vehicle and made the student open it. That’s when they saw the AR-15.

The 18-year-old student, Dillon Nathanial Xynides, was taken into custody and charged with possession of a weapon on school property, a third-degree felony.

Xynides said he just recently bought it and was planning to use it to hunt wild hogs with it. School administrators say there wasn't a threat and the school never went on lockdown. But police reiterated there is a zero-tolerance policy.

"We take the matters of school safety very seriously and feel a great obligation to establish and maintain a safe learning environment for all students and staff in our schools", acting Dade City police chief James Walters said.

Xynides has no prior disciplinary issues. He posted a photo of the AR-15 to Snapchat Thursday night, but didn't post anything threatening.